Xenakis’s style

Stochastic processes Inspired by his architectural work, Xenakis’s breakthrough came in utilising probability calculations to create works such as Metastasis (1953-4). His exploration of these ‘stochastic’ processes reached apotheosis 40 years later with the digital computer programme General Dynamic Stochastic Synthesis (GENDYN).

Clouds, arborescences and sieves Concepts like ‘melody’, ‘harmony’ and ‘rhythm’ held little meaning for a music where forms were derived from the manipulation of sound masses or ‘clouds’, ‘arborescences’ of branching lines, or the points on a line he dubbed ‘sieves’.

Polytopes Xenakis created a new genre of audiovisual installations combining music and architecture, sound and light. Site-specific works like the Polytope de Cluny (1972-4) attracted huge crowds.

Utopianism He envisaged a Cosmic City of three-mile-high skyscrapers where people would have free access to art-science and ‘not fear the devastation of war since disarmament will have been accomplished on earth … with other expansions sought in cosmic space’.